“Thank you, Dr. Crabb,” replied Andy, gratefully.  “You are very kind, but even that sum my father, in his changed circumstances, would be unable to pay.  Besides, it would be quite out of my power to go to college even if I were prepared.”

“It is a thousand pities,” said the principal, with concern.  “If you must leave, you must.  I am not sure but I should be willing to take you gratuitously.”

“Thank you; but I feel that I ought to go to work at once to help my father.  It is not enough that I free him from expense.”

“No doubt you are right.  I respect you for your determination.  You need not hesitate to apply to me at any time in the future if you see any way in which I can be of service to you.”

“I think it will help me if you will give me a letter of recommendation, which I can show to any one from whom I seek employment.”

“I will give you such a letter with great pleasure;” and the doctor, sitting down at his desk, wrote a first-class recommendation of his favorite pupil.

There was general regret in the academy when it was learned that Andy must leave them.  One little boy of twelve—­Dudley Cameron, a special favorite of Andy—­came to him to ask if there was no way by which he could manage to stay.

“No, Dudley!  I am too poor,” said Andy.

“If I write to papa and ask him to send you a thousand dollars, will you stay?” asked the little boy, earnestly.

“No, Dudley; you mustn’t do anything of the kind.  Even if your father liked me as well as you do, and would give me the money, I could not take it.  I must go to work to help my father.”

“You will write to me sometimes, Andy?”

“Yes; I will be sure to do that.”

The little fellow’s warm-hearted offer, and the expressions of sympathy and regret on the part of his schoolmates, cheered Andy.  It was pleasant to think that he would be missed.

On the closing day he received the first prize for scholarship from the hands of Dr. Crabb.

“You will take my best wishes with you, Andy,” said the venerable principal.  “Let me hear from you when you have made any business arrangement.”

The farewells were said, and Andy set out on his return home.

He was leaving the old life behind him.  A new one lay before him, but what it was to be he could not foresee.

He reached Arden in due course and set out to walk home.  He had barely started when he heard his name called.

Looking around, he saw Conrad Carter, the squire’s only son, on his bicycle.

“So you’ve come home from the academy?” said Conrad, curiously.

“Yes,” answered Andy, briefly.

He never could bring himself to like Conrad, who made himself offensive and unpopular by his airs of superiority.  Indeed, there was no boy in Arden so thoroughly disliked as Conrad.

“You’ll have a pretty long vacation,” went on Conrad, with a significant laugh.